I will warn those who don’t know what a Diva cup is….it is a product for women to use during their menstrual cycle.

I will wait for a moment for those who are squeamish or got to this page by mistake to click the X at the top right 😉

Waiting…..

Okay, hopefully by now, those who are still reading are legitimately interested in learning about my opinions on the Diva Cup.

To start off with, I was very hesitant to do this. I have 2 kiddos, and my periods after my 2nd born have been less than predictable. Usually they would happen anywhere from 14-25 days apart and the first 3 days were VERY heavy. I literally would hope that whenever I started that I had the first 2 days to sit at home. If I had to get up from a seated/laying position I would feel a “gush” and knew I needed to hurry to the restroom. These reasons among others are the reasons I was so hesitant.

A few months ago I decided to go to Diva Cups website and read up on them some. Of course I expected to get some biased info, since they are trying to sell a product after all ;). I was most interested in sizing, since I felt like it would be difficult for a piece of silicone to work equally for all bodies. I found they offer 2 sizes, Size 1 is for women who have not given birth before and are under 30. Size 2 is recommend for women over 30, or women who have given birth (either vaginally or via c-section). I was still a bit hesitant since I do have 2 kiddos, but neither were born vaginally due to lack of space.

Still, I ordered size 2 and kept my fingers crossed. I’m not going to lie, when that little piece of silicone came in the mail I was anxious for my monthly visitor to come so I could give it a try. Approx 10 days later Aunt Flo arrived. I will be honest, there is a learning curve. I figured I would pop it in and be good, it took me a couple minutes to get it folded (I do the rolled one), and read, then reread the instructions before attempting insertion. I am glad that I had some dear friends who I could vocalize my hesitancy and they were behind me 100000% since they also use this little product.

I will say that I am more comfortable with my body than ever before, and insertion gets easier every time. You will learn how to insert, how it feels when inserted and opened correctly, and how to remove. Some ask about how you don’t splash blood all over when removing, I have yet to have that happen….even with my heaviest days.

Let me say, I was floored. I am someone who has never been able to use tampons because I just leak out of them. If I wore a tampon I also had to wear a pad or liner. Swimming was a no-go if it was that time of the month. Now, that is no longer an issue. Remember those issues with gushing and inability (or unwillingness) to do anything for the first few days of my periods?? No more!! I was turned into a believer within the first cycle of using it.

Yes you have to clean it, yes you may want to lock the door behind you unless you want your kiddos to walk in and wonder what you’re doing with that little piece of silicone. Yes give yourself time, and breathe a minute before trying to insert it. After my first cycle I felt like I could actually do this. I have now gone on road trips while not having to worry about running to the bathroom every hour. I can quickly clean the cup and reinsert without much fanfare.

I feel like this product is not getting the chance it should. Yes it’s something many people are hesitant about trying out (myself included). Please let me give you a bit of advice. TRY IT!! It’s amazing, my cycles have become more regulated, I don’t have the “gushing” issues from before, and I can live my life. I actually FORGOT I was on my period for a while the last cycle I used it. Last month I even bagged up a bunch of my pads and tampons I had stashed under my sink and donated it to a group who makes bags for homeless women.

Some people may be asking how long these last, from what I found eventually the silicone can break down, but it’s important to keep them clean. Diva Cup does sell a product called “Diva Wash” which I have not yet had a chance to try, but washing it thoroughly in a sink and boiling after the end of a cycle has been working great for me.

I would LOVE to hear feedback from YOU!!! Have you tried Diva Cup? Why or why not? What’s holding you back if you haven’t yet? What do you LOVE if you have? What would be a piece of advice that you would give a Diva Cup virgin?
Ready to take the leap?? Go to Diva Cup’s website and let me know what product you are most excited to try!! Now’s the time, you are here, take the leap.

I want to start off by saying, I am NOT a girly girl. Dressing up is not “fun” for me, I would prefer to be in jeans, a hoodie and Toms any day! I live for comfort and spend most of my time focused on my family and making sure they are comfortable, happy and provided for. Recently I talked to a Jamberry consultant, named Jessa, that I met through my daughter’s school and she encouraged me to host a party. This was not the first time I had heard of Jamberry, I had a friend who sold them years ago, and still “follow” several pages on Facebook who sell them. This was, however, the first time I decided to try them….

When I put on my first Jamberry nail wrap I was hesitant since I am an occasional nail biter and usually try to divert attention AWAY from my nails, instead of to them. I used an accent nail on my ring finger and painted my other nails with Piggy Paint and top coat. Below is a photo of my nails after my first application.My daughter also wanted to try them, so we did an accent nail for her as well. Since these were samples we were given we did not have the different sizes available to us, so we made do with what we had. Here was her first try:As you can see with her’s we did a thumb nail accent and painted the rest of her nails. Unfortunately she wasn’t sure what to do about them and we found out that using the alcohol prep pads did not work well enough to “clean” her nails properly before application. Within 24hrs her wraps had come loose and she peeled them off. After talking to Jessa, we tried washing her hands with Dawn dish soap, buffing her nails with a dry paper towel and then rubbing the nails with vinegar. Afterwards we tried another application:Her 2nd application lasted for 13 days!!! It most likely would have lasted longer but we received our order and she wanted to try something new 😀 Here are a few shots I took of my nails to show that while the Jamberry wraps looked amazing, my nail polish needed to be redone every 2-3 days and it still looked subpar:The jam berry wraps were still going strong at 12 days, but when I had to repaint one time I figured I would change to a new wrap: Needless to say, I was amazed. I didn’t expect the wraps to stay on after one day of washing my hands, doing dishes, baths, etc much less almost 2 weeks later!! My daughter loved them as well and was always talking about them. While I was “testing” the wraps I hosted an online party, here are the rewards I got with my party and then I can share an update picture of the first time I applied the Juniors jams to my daughter, and a full set to myself 😀 Here is my picture of the rewards I got from the party: 6 sets of nail wraps, a mini-heater (LOOOOOVE!!! This makes application SOOO much easier!) and a bottle of nail lacquer:Here are pics of my sweet girl and my new full set manicures, I have white tips on, and she has on the florals from the Chevron Blooms set:
So, after lots of pictures and all, I have to say I do love Jamberry nails. I was so hesitant at first that I almost didn’t use them, but I am SO glad I did!! A couple of people in my party had issues with shipping (not the fault of Jessa) or a mixed up item in their order, but Jamberry was VERY quick to resolve the issues and make it right. Overall I was very pleased, and I look forward to my next order!!

**UPDATE: soooo….I loved Jamberry SO much that I became a consultant!!! Jessa is my team leader and she’s awesome, but now I can help you with all your Jamberry needs!!

Want to contact me and ask a question, set up a party of your own, or place an order? Click on the link below!!

I had been seeing for awhile the advertisements from different companies (Citrus Lane, Bloom, etc) that offer monthly subscriptions for boxes of items customized for your kids. I loved the idea to get a surprise in the mail of items hand picked for their age group! Recently Citrus Lane offered a code that gave $10 off a box and you would receive a bonus box in addition!! I figured this was a great time to try the subscription to see if I liked what was included in the box. Signup was SUPER easy and stress-free. You basically add your kids to your profile and specify their gender and ages so that items can be customized to that age group. I decided to put my 6month old son as the recipient so I would get some items to use for him for Christmas.

I placed my order on September 25, 2014 for a total of $19.00, the order shipped on October 8, 2014 and I received the boxes on October 18th, 2014. I had contacted Citrus Lane in that time because there was no mention of the bonus box on my account nor did I receive a shipping notification for the bonus box. The first person I spoke with said it should be shipped out around the same time ask the monthly box and I should receive it within a few days of the other box. I then asked if there was a tracking # for the bonus box, and the next representative said that the bonus box shipped with the monthly box.

I received the boxes today and loved that upon pickup up the box I could hear jingling inside. YAY!!!! I was excited to open them to see what was inside that sounded so fun!!!

The outside packing box included my 2 boxes inside!!! Here is a picture of the boxes:
I loved how I felt like I was opening something very special with the packaging 😀

My monthly subscription box had a neat assortment of items in it: a “My First Football” plush football, a bell, a Caterpillar book about “Trucks and Diggers” and a little baggie with samples.

I thought the football was cute, and my almost 5year old loved the bell 😀 I think it has a neat assortment of items, although I’m not sure if I feel like it’s worth the “full price” of $29….the cage bell runs around $6, the football runs around $7, and the book runs around $7. Of course my estimate is based on what I found through searches to estimate values.

Let’s move onto the “Bonus Box”! Here is a photo of what was included:For some reason I was excited about the “Cool it buddy”, it’s not like I’ve never seen an ice pack, I just thought it was really cute. Value wise, you can buy the “Cool It Buddy” on the manufacture’s website for $2.99, the Hide and Seek board book is on Amazon for $6.29 and the wooden ship toy retails for $9.99 on Hape’s website. I am a big fan of wooden toys and practical things so I think out of the two, the bonus box was my favorite.

I spent $19 for both boxes with the bonus code I had, and I received approximately $40 worth of items. I feel like I got a good deal, but I do not think I would have felt that way if I was a regular monthly subscriber of $29/month (they do have discounted packages if you pay for multiple monthly boxes ex: $24/month for 3 months, or $21/month for 6 months). Since this was my first time receiving their boxes I am not sure how this month’s box compares to “normal” or if I got a more limited selection because of the deal. I doubt that is the case though since I feel like the deal is an incentive to make people WANT to sign up for the subscriptions and I don’t see people doing that if felt like they weren’t receiving their money’s worth.

I do admit though, I felt like I was opening something special and the packaging and all made me feel like this was a special arrival. My husband, almost 5 year old and I hovered around as I opened them, so it was a neat experience. I’m sure my little guy will enjoy his gifts when he receives them at Christmas 🙂

Bottom line…..would I continue a subscription for $29/month? No. I plan on canceling my subscription (it automatically renews each month if you don’t cancel it), but I have spoken to others who have received their boxes in the past and they said there is no hassle in canceling and they have often stopped and restarted subscriptions if there was a good code/discount/etc. I do hope to try them again someday and see what a box for my almost 5 year old would contain!!

I am someone who LOVES mail days!! I love them even more when I can smell the deliciousness before I even open the package!! Here is a picture of the contents that Meghan sent me to review for her new company she works for called “Perfectly Posh”

Perfectly Posh offers Cruelty-free, never animal-tested, no petroleum ingredients, items made in the USA. Their products are loaded with nutrient-rich butters, oils, and other natural ingredients. The best part is every product they offer is UNDER $25, and if you buy 5 products you can get your 6th product FREE (of equal or lesser value)!!!

So Meghan sent me some samples and full-sized products to try out and review for you guys. Let me just say, I have tried quite a few “beauty products” in the past but these are BY FAR the best smelling ones I’ve ever come across!!! Here are the items I used as well as my reviews of each:

– Lil Snarky Hand Creme: this creme is very smooth and softens even dry hands immediately, the best part is that it doesn’t leave a greasy or sticky feel on your hands after application!!

– Moisturize 11: I used this cream on my dry, peeling post-sunburn skin and it made it super soft. It is a nice thick cream that has a very pleasant citrusy scent!!

– Perfectly Posh Big Bath Bar: I will say that I am normally a Body Wash/Shower Gel type of girl….that being said I am STILL using this bar even though I used it for several weeks (long enough to formulate my review)…the best parts of it are 1) it seems to last FOREVER!!! Even after several weeks of use it is still just about as large as it was when I first started using it!! No disappearing bar here!! 2) It makes you feel squeaky clean (literally!!) 3) It smells AHHHHMAZING!!! I almost didn’t want to take it out of it’s wrapper and use it because I liked just going in and smelling it before I started the review of it 4) It suds up REALLY well, this is one reason I tend to shy away from bar soaps, but this one is great!!!

– Stripper- Detox Body Mud: The body mud is very easy to apply and remove making it a virtually mess-free regimen. I applied it after a shower and kept it on for 10minutes and loved the fresh, tingling sensation I had when I used it. The next morning my skin felt refreshed and soft. Here are a couple pictures of it in use:

Before

Right after applying

As the mud was drying

1/2 removed

Fresh faced afterwards

The next morning

– Sister I’m a Poet- Body Butter: This body butter is nice and thick so it coats and moisturizes really well!! Has a very pleasant smell that lingered but was not overpowering!

– Brazilian Bombshell- Body Butter: This body butter has an amazing smell (see I told you I loved the smell of everything I tried!!) It was nice and thick and covers the skin evenly while working well to moisturize even dry skin!

– Berry Jam- Body Butter: This is true to it’s word, it has a very berry smell (honestly it smelled good but was my least favorite smell of all for some reason, not that that means much since most of the smells I could have breathed in all day because they were so delicious smelling). It was nice and thick like you would expect form a quality body butter and evenly smoothed over skin.

– BFF- Best Face Forward Exfoliator: I’m always a little hesitant to use lots of products on my face since I usually tend to have sensitive skin but this exfoliator worked well without the irritation. It is not overly gritty, it lightly does it’s job without the need of being overly abrasive. I LOVED the spa-like smell and cooling/awakening sensation it left!! Here are a couple pictures of my “before” and “after”:

Before

After

– Snarky Bar: As a direct contrast to how soft many of these products are the Snarky bar is not one to mess with. This is the most effective exfoliator I’ve ever used, but it’s also the most abrasive. You don’t need to put any elbow power when you use this product since even the smallest section of it can be mighty!! It has a pleasant scent and was slightly misleading in the fact that when I wet it in the shower it felt “softer”, then when I used it to exfoliate the dry skin on my legs and feet it was a BEAST!!! This product is PERFECT for anyone who needs a super strength exfoliator or just something that you know will get the job done. Just make sure to use on non-sensitive areas (ex: not on your face especially!!!)

– A Peel to Me- Body Scrub: I used this in the shower as well and was surprised that this is more of a gel-like composition than many body scrubs I’ve used in the past. That makes it easy to apply and it works well!! I used it on my arms since they tend to need light exfoliation at times, it worked well and had a very good scent!

Now, I decided to save my favorite product for last. I wish I had taken pictures of this but I had NO IDEA how much I was going to love this product. I get my dry skin honestly, genetically it’s just something that’s a part of the package. Especially on my “T” zone my skin can sometimes look as if it’s never seen moisturizer before in it’s life. While the purpose of this next product is, in fact, not specifically to moisturize it is BY FAR the most amazing facial product I have found. The description for it is as follows: “There’s an anti aging magic wand for youthful, nourished skin. A sophisticated blend of CoQ10, natural cell generating oils, and powerful peptides plump and fill fine lines and wrinkles.” I personally used it after I got out of a shower and my skin on my forehead was flaking horribly. I figured…why not? So here is, in my personal opinion, my FAVORITE Posh product:

Sweet Young Thing: Of course, like all of their other products it smells amazing, it’s VERY easy to apply and INSTANTLY smooths and moisturizes and makes your skin look like new. As soon as I applied it all of my previously flaking, extremely dry, damaged skin was smooth, soft and flake-free. I literally stood in front of the mirror in awe….again if I had ANY idea of the transformation I would have taken pictures to prove my point (which I may just have to do because I fully intend to purchase this product over and over…..hmmm I wonder if they have bulk gallon jars available for purchase….).

Suffice it to say, I was not disappointed with one single product that I tried and reviewed. I am a harsh critic and normally I would try to find at least one thing that I could say didn’t match up to my expectations but I was blown away by several of their products and found each one I tried to do exactly what I expected (or far MORE!!). With Posh you can purchase items as an individual or host an online/in-home party and earn rewards that way!!! To set up your party or place an order for any of the products I reviewed or many more that are on the site please visit: www.perfectlyposh.com/meghanm

If you have any questions about Posh products or how to order simply click here to contact Meghan directly!!! Be sure to let her know Missy from Sarcastic and Straightforward sent you!!! Once you order your products be sure to stop back by and let me know your personal favorites!!

Most of you may know from my previous posts that I am an auburn-head….in summertime my pale skin burns quickly and easily. I know this, I’ve had 30 years experience with my skin so far and I have yet to had something different happen with it. Despite the facts, I am one who rarely if ever uses sunscreen. That has changed….I finally found a sunscreen that is light, breathable, doesn’t clog my pores or irritate my sensitive skin, and best of all it WORKS!! Coppertone CLEARLYsheer comes in a spray on form or lotion and both are equally amazing. I first tried the spray on form when my family and I were at Busch Gardens and I needed some protection for my 2month old’s sensitive skin as well as my own. I was a little nervous at first to use anything on his skin since little ones can break out easily. The spray applied evenly and I let it sit to dry and both my little guy and myself were protected without the overwhelming greasiness and “sunscreen smell” you normally associate with protection. CLEARLYsheer is so light, breathable and pleasant to wear that I have NO ISSUE wearing it, I have put one of each in every bag we carry normally (our diaper bag, our Busch Gardens book bag, my 2nd diaper bag, purse, as well as in the car…just incase HAHA). The lotion is creamy and smooth, and applies evenly without feeling caked on like most do. Again it doesn’t have the greasiness that I normally associate with sunscreens and was so breathable I forgot I had even put it on!! Both options definitely have their perks, but they offer optimal protection without negative side effects.

Samples from BzzAgent

Ready for a beach day!! ❤

The moral of the story….if you have kids, sensitive skin, or just a normal aversion to sunscreen in general Coppertone CLEARLYsheer is an AWESOME solution. Throw away the bulky old lotions and give CLEARLYsheer a try!!!! I am a Bzzagent and was given free samples and coupons to test out for Coppertone. Want to become a Bzzagent? Comment with your email, I have space to invite 6 people to join.

I was thrilled when Think Fun told me they were sending me a complimentary “Hello Sunshine” Toy to review with my 3 year old daughter. This toy couldn’t have come at a better time since we had just had a parent/teacher conference with my daughter’s preschool teacher and she said they were working on spacial awareness (ex: in front of, on, beside, behind, under, etc). She recommended if we could work at home as well to help her with the specifics that would be great, that’s where “Hello Sunshine” (or “Happy Face” as my daughter affectionately refers to him as) came in.

Here is a picture of Hello Sunshine when he arrived:

Hello Sunshines comes with 18 double sided cards with 36 places for him to be creatively hidden. The cards are somewhat laminated so they hold up well to overzealous little hands 🙂

My daughter was surprised with Hello Sunshine when she came home from preschool and immediately wanted to sit down to play with him. Here is a series of pictures from when she first met Happy Face 🙂

Here we are doing “on top of head”:

Here is “in front of my nose”:

“Under a blanket”:

“Under my shirt”:

“In the closet”:

“On a book:

“On my lap”:

“Under the bed”:

Suffice it to say my daughter LOVES it, and she’s getting better with her spacial awareness!!! I love that “Hello Sunshine” makes learning fun while not sacrificing the learning concepts. My daughter loves how plush and huggable Happy Face is, and he has a special place on her dresser:

Besides being hugged, tossed around, etc the sunshine plush is still in like new condition and the cards have fared FAR better than I could imagine. I love the secret storage pouch for the cards on the underside of the plush. The velcro closure makes it easy for her to cleanup and store the cards on her own and allows easy access when she wants to play. I can see her playing with this toy for years to come since there are countless ways to have creative fun (including some cards where you create your own “on top of ______”!!!).

If you are looking for a quality learning toy that is fun and educational this the toy for you!!!

You can purchase it here: http://www.thinkfun.com/shop/product/hello-sunshine,120,9.htm

Okay, so I just may be one of the only people of my generation that while I do tons of online shopping, selling, etc I thought making the switch to using the internet for my eye care needs to be a bit….scary? I’ve gone to the same optometrist since I had my first eye exam in 2nd grade. So while I had heard commercials and things for 1-800-contacts I thought it would be odd to not use my normal optometrist.

Finally I decided to do a review of the products/service of 1-800-contacts. After talking to Britton a Social media coordinator he wanted me to call and place an order with the customer service reps without telling them I was doing a review. Personally I LOVE that he suggested and was on board with this…he wanted me to review what REALLY happens to a run-of-the-mill client when they contact 1-800-contacts for service. Soooo….here is a review based on notes I took during my interactions with 1-800-contacts.

I called the normal 1-800-contacts number listed on the website and had the pleasure of speaking with Kelsey, she was very friendly and professional and made me feel like I was a valued customer before I even WAS a customer. I asked all of the questions I had (What brands do you offer? Do these vary in any way from contacts received at an optometrist’s office? What if the contacts just don’t fit/feel right? Etc….) Now I also disclosed to Kelsey that I had been wearing my current pair of contacts for just over 3 years…..yes you read that right. I had been wearing the same pair of 30 day disposable contacts that I received after a routine eye checkup 3 years ago EVERY SINGLE DAY, ALL DAY, for 3 WHOLE years. Kelsey was amazed that the contacts hadn’t torn, weren’t uncomforable, etc. I asked if they had the brand I had been wearing for the last 3 years since they obviously work well for me and they DID!!! I went ahead and ordered my contacts with fingers crossed. Kelsey informed me that they would need either a picture of my prescription (Rx) or they could call the optometrist to confirm, I told her I had the Rx and she gave me a number to text a picture of it to.

I sent the picture of the Rx via email at 9:08pm 3/7/13 and received a confirmation text at 9:11pm it read “Thanks for sending your Rx! Everything looks great and your order will ship first thing tomorrow! Have an awesome night, Melissa!”

I was offered expedited shipping (2-3 days) for $8 extra but chose to do the “standard shipping” route to see how that is, for those who are not able/willing/etc to pay for the expedited.

I got a shipping confirmation email at 11:48am the NEXT day!!! (Only 14hrs after I placed my order!!!)

I received my contacts on 3/12/13 via standard shipping, just 5 days after my order was placed. The contacts were well packaged and included contact cases.

The only negative I experienced throughout the entire transaction was that the website said “FAST FREE SHIPPING FOR A LIMITED TIME” with no immediate mention of minimum purchases….when I looked at my statement I was charged $6.99 for standard shipping since apparently the “FREE SHIPPING” offer is only for purchases over $50…..my order was $47.99…..and there was no mention about the cost when I placed the order. After doing some searching I see that there is FREE SHIPPING for all web orders when doing “Standard shipping”. I contacted customer service and they apologized for the confusion/charge and I was refunded the $6.99. Something you may want to mention if you see the “FREE SHIPPING” and decide to call is to say you saw the free shipping and ask if you place the order over the phone if that will be honored. If not, it would most likely to get any questions you may have answered and order via the website.

To place your 1-800-contacts order today visit: www.1800contacts.com/ or call 1-800-contacts!!

I know that I loved the ease and efficiency of ordering and from them and know you will too!! Let me know how your experience goes!!!

If you have a child, chances are at some point you will need to label your child’s personal items….this can happen if they go to daycare, a church nursery, school, camp, etc!!! That’s where Label Daddy steps in to help. I came across Label Daddy’s website and they were generous enough to send one of their amazing packages for me to test AND allowed me to customize colors, information, logos, etc!!!

In the packet I received in the mail, was included an INCREDIBLY helpful letter detailing the best (and worst) things to do with your Label Daddy products.

There are many different sizes of labels which make them easy to apply to things ranging from as small as shoes/underwear/etc to larger items like bookbags, duffel bags, suitcases and larger!! This picture shows some of the variety of sizes we received (as well as the awesome zipper pulls, please note I blurred my daughter’s last name, it does NOT appear this way on the labels):

I got these at the perfect time, just after my daughter started preschool. So I have had the chance to test these on her clothes that are kept at school, her lunch box, bookbag, etc which get LOTS of wear!!!

Something that AMAZED me about Label Daddy labels is that they are WASHABLE!!!! YES you heard that right!!! You can wash/dry items that are adorned with Label Daddy products. At first I thought it had to be too good to be true, but after NUMEROUS (meaning more than 5) washings and dryings the labels are just as good as they were Day 1!!! Here are a few photos of the labels on clothing/bags/etc:

My daughter now has labels inside her bookbag, her lunchbox, her clothes that are kept at school, all coats/jackets/ etc!! I love the convenience of knowing if something is lost, that it can easily be identified and returned to the rightful owner.

Interested in making personalized labels for your family? You can choose from several different themes/logos: MLB, NBA, Marvel, Disney and standard images, and there are MANY colors and fonts to choose from!!! Swing by http://www.labeldaddy.com to see the full assortment of what they have to offer. Also stop by their Facebook page that can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/LabelDaddy

Be sure to share some ❤ from Missy over at SarcasticandStraightforward!!! Let me know what you think of these amazing products!! Feel free to share this post with your Facebook friends, family, etc!!! We all ❤ hearing about new, awesome products!!!

I will start off by saying I am traditionally a pretty boring person in the jewelry department. I wear my wedding rings, 2 pairs of earrings that I never change, and a necklace that never comes off that I received when my daughter was born. However, when I first saw posts on Facebook for Origami Owl my interest was peaked.

For those of you who do not know Origami Owl has what are known as “living lockets”. Their lockets are magnetic which allows the wearer to insert charms of different types, style their locket with dangles, plates, tags, and more!! I have seen so many creative couplings of the charms to create lockets made in honor/memory of a loved one, weddings, births, special occasions, unique interests, etc that I found myself wondering what my locket would consist of.

Luckily for me I got the chance to host a party with Wendy Pittman, an independent designer for Origami Owl, and she even donated a locket and 2 charms (thank you Wendy!!) to help me see for myself what Origami Owl is all about.

So, I started off my choice with the large silver locket with crystals, added several charms: owl, January birthstone girl, star, “I love you” (sign language), and the camera, topped off with a large silver “mom” plate. Here is a photo of my finished locket:

I also, for comparison, got a medium sized Rose Gold locket, and added 2 March birthstones, an April birthstone and a puffy crystal gold heart. The medium locket is a great choice for those who feel the large locket (which is approximately the size of a quarter) is a bit too large for their taste. Here is a photo of the two lockets:

The medium locket holds approximately 4-7 charms (depending on charm size) or up to 15 birthstones and is plated with 18k rose gold measuring in at approximately the size of nickel!!! The large silver locket by comparison holds approximately 7-12 charms and is stainless steel, hypoallergenic and will not rust or tarnish. I chose the large silver locket for myself since I am sensitive to many different metals, and want something that can stand up to everyday wear and tear.

I have to be honest….these lockets are MUCH more stunning in person than they appear on the website or even in the catalogs. They are a nice weight, which makes them seem even more like a substantial, quality piece of jewelry. The charms stand out easily against the clear glass or even the plates if you decide to add one. The only “con” I’ve seen so far with the jewelry is that the “mom” plate spins inside the locket as I wear it, so sometimes the “mom” is hidden under the charms instead of at the top where I place it. A concern I initially had, which has been unfounded up until this point, was that the magnetic lock wouldn’t stay closed. So far I have had NO issues at all with this. The closure seems secure and while not impossible to open in the occasion where you want to change out/add to your charms, it holds tight and makes me feel more confident that my charms are safe.

The entire ordering process was very easy, I placed my orders directly through Wendy and paid via PayPal (my preferred method for most purchases), and the orders were delivered very promptly arriving at my doorstep within a week of placing the orders!! We did have a minor communication issue with which size locket was originally ordered, but Wendy did an amazing job and had my new locket sent to me the very next day!!!

I have already received NUMEROUS compliments on my locket, as well as my mom was literally in tears when she saw the rose gold one I had made for her. The living lockets are not “just jewelry” they are a keepsake, they are something living, changing and growing just as your family and memories evolve. I look forward to continuing to celebrate and honor the milestones and things I love in my life by adding them to my living locket.

Try it out first….host an Origami Owl party through Wendy, she can set you up with one for free and in just a moment. Show your friends and family the beautiful lockets on your party page. These would make EXCELLENT gifts for Mother’s Day, birthdays, baby showers, Christmas, etc. I can’t think of an occasion that someone would not be delighted to receive one of these beautiful pieces. After you get your lockets, let me know what YOU think. I’ve shared my experience and my personal love of the diversity that they can display….share what YOU want in your locket. After all, it is YOUR story!!

Years ago, before my life became amazing with the birth of my sweet girl, we had our first born son. He was born in December 2006, is black with a small white patch on his chest, pointy ears, a curly tail, and, in his younger years….a tongue that went on for miles. He is a husky/lab mix and one of the best dogs you will meet.

Unfortunately for all of his positive attributes he has one negative that has plagued me over the years…..his eating/drinking mannerisms. We always have joked since the day we adopted him that he must have a huge hole in his cheek since anytime he drinks it shoots out of the side of his mouth and all over the floor. I have tried different bowls, giving him less water at a time, and finally resorted to just surrounding his bowls with towels to be washed after his binge drinking 😛 Now I will never have this issue again….before I give more info about the product I am talking about here’s one more picture of Fenway….everyone now….”Awwwwwww!!!!”

Okay, moving on…..so I was given a large size Neater Feeder by the company with extender legs to accompany my large breed dog. I will admit (since I am TOTALLY honest in this blog, since thats the whole point)…..I set up the bowl wrong at first….I attached the legs but did the top totally upside down. Here’s a few pictures of it before I corrected it:

Now I would like to share a few photos of what the messes used to look like in an era I like to refer to as “BNF” (or Before Neater Feeder):

After Fenway’s first attempt using our new bowl here are some images of the difference:

Here is a photo of the inside of the reservoir:

Next are a few photos of it when PROPERLY assembled and used:

So basically this has made my life SOOOOO much easier. The bowls are easy to remove, and the large brown section lifts off the base to allow for cleaning up of any water that going into the reservoir (instead of all over my floor!!!). The bowls are roomy, easy to clean and I love that they take into consideration portion sizes and make the bowls accommodate that. I have never seen a product that works as effectively as this one for keeping pet food/water contained yet easily accessible for them.

Neater Feeder offers different sized bowls and the optional extender legs to suit animals from small dogs/cats to XL dogs. The range of sizing makes it perfect for any furbaby you may have and they have the option of “bronze” or “cranberry” coloring!!

So now…..you’ve seen the pictures, you’ve heard my side of it, now you need to try it for yourself. Stop spending hours of your life cleaning up puddled water around your pet’s water bowls/food bowls. Do this for YOU!!!!

The best of all??? Neater Feeder has generously donated 1 Neater Feeder for me to give away to one of you (Winner’s Choice of color/size)!!!! How awesome is that!?!? To enter simply go to http://bit.ly/ZJxMY8 and fill out the Rafflecopter giveaway!!! The giveaway ends Friday 3/22/13 at 12am.

Please be sure to stop by Neater Feeders pages and share some ❤ from us!!
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NeaterFeeder (please be sure to stop by and thank them for donating!!!!)
Website: http://www.neaterfeeder.com